Exclusive Clip: Toy Story 3, In Which Drooling Toddlers Snort Mr. Potato Head

Are we the only ones who are bursting with excitement over Toy Story 3?

Everywhere we look lately, we’re being reminded of just how great this franchise is – the movie series that put Pixar on the map, that proved feature-length CG animation wasn’t just possible, but the future of cinema.

I’ve already written plenty about Toy Story teetering with greatness – that if the third chapter matches its predecessors, this could go down as the greatest trilogy of all time. And since I took that leap for the hyperbolic, I haven’t seen anything to suggest that this won’t be every bit as inventive and incredible as the first two tales. (More at Techland: March madness, with monsters and villains!)

Disney has already released images of a slew of new characters/toys, that we’ve been following with interest. If you haven’t seen them yet, them give the new toys a gander here; it’s enough to remind anyone of why the likes of Woody, Buzz, Rex, Sid, Jessie and Bo Peep captured our collective imagination in the first place. A couple of weeks ago, we also posted a video interview with Pete Docter – who helped to write the original Toy Story – about his artistic inspirations. (Watch the full video at the bottom of this post)

And then there’s the best news yet: Both Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are now available as Special Edition Blu-ray & DVD Combo Packs, peppered with Toy Story and Pixar extras – including sneak-peeks at what’s to come on June 18, when the third installment hits theaters in 3D. We begged Disney to give us access to one of these abbreviated previews, and we successfully wore them down. Here’s director Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo) talking about the rude awakening waiting for our favorite toys at Sunnyside Day Care:

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If Toy Story was about the sweeping tides of technology rendering some toys obsolete, and Toy Story 2 was about toys being treated less like objects of love or imagination, and more like property by collectors, I already like where Toy Story 3 looks to be heading – about what happens when the owners grow up, move on, and leave the treasures behind for another generation of drooling toddlers, who don’t appreciate all they have to offer.

Beyond Toy Story 3, the new DVD releases also sport an array of Pixar special features, offering every Toy Story geek a chance to go behind the scenes of what has to be the world’s coolest company.